Electric-railway system.



PATENTED OUT. 29, 1907.

W. B. POTTER.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED APB-3, 1900.

Wmiam Spotter,

UNITED. STATES Parana o FIoE.

WILLIAM B. POTTER;

OF SGHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF iElV YORK.

' ELECTRIC-RAILWAY SYSTEM.

Be it known that I, WIL IAM B. Po'rrsn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric-Railway Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to sectional electric railway systems provided with means for preventing trains from approaching nearer to each other than the length 10 of a section, and to improvements in braking and sig naling especially adapted to such system, but. applicable to other systems.

Figure l is a diagrammatic illustration of a railway constructed in accordance with my invention; and Fig.

2 is a similar illustration of the same railway with additional improvements embodied therein.

In Fig, 1 the track rails are represented by T, and may serve as the return conductor. The motor M carried by the car, is connected with the shoe II, which engages with the normally dead sectional working conductors A, A etc. The sections of the working conductor are of considerable length withrespect to the length of the car or train, and are proportional in length to the speed which would be generally inainsection. Means are provided whereby a train causes the section over which it is passing to become energized, and prevents the dead section over which it has just passed, from being energized by a following train. Thus the following train enters 'upon a section behind the advance train, which is of relatively great length, and which the following train is unable to energize, so that. it will stop, and more quickly since brakes are provided which are set automatically when the train enters the dead section. An auxiliary working conductor is provided, so that the operator can cause the train to move over the dead section, when desirable.

A ,system of signals is also provided.

In Fig. l the sections are shown shorter in the vicin- 40 ity of the station L, where the trains will usually slow down. At other portions of the road, as on grades, on

an air line between stations, or in any other place where high speed would be maintained, they would be of' greater length. For example, in certain portions of the road, it might be desirable that a section be as long as a mile and a half. In any event, the lengths of the sections at different parts of the road will be determined by engineers in accordance with prevailing conditions. I,

' An electro-magnetic switch S is provided for each section, to control the supply of current thereto from the feeder. The connection between each section and the feeder is broken in two places; and each switch controls one break in each of the two connections from" two. successive sections to the feeder. Each switch Specification of Letters Patent. Application fita April 3. 1900.

tained by the train, while it is passing over a given.

Patented Oct. 29, 1907.

Serial No. 11.405.

in its normal position closes one break in one connection and maintains the break in the other connection open. In Fig. 1 the arrow indicates that the car is proceeding to the right. Since the collector bridges the sections A and A, and the upper break in the switch of the section A remains closed until the collector engages the section A, the shoe H will close a new circuit as soon as it engages with the section A. The shoe H, having engaged with the section A, has c'ompleted the circuit through the ground shunt N, which includes the coilof the switch of the section A. Thereupon that switch has been raised to open the upper break and close the lower one, so that current is now llowing through the portion of the switch which closes thelower break, and the portion of the advance switch which closes the upper break in the connection of the section A, so that current is flowing from the feeder through the section A and shoe H, to the car motor and track return. The upper break in the feeder connection of the rear section A is held open until 7 the shoe has passed entirely from the advance section A, so that it will be impossible for a following train to close the feeder connection of the rear section A, while the advance train is on the section A. The following train will close the first and lower break in the feeder connection of the -ear section A, but since the second and upper break is held open while a train is on the section A, instead of being closed asitis normally when the track is clear, the following train cannot cause that section A to be energized, until the section 35 A is clear. i

In the upper portion of Fig. 2 are shown two groupsof apparatus which represent single cars, or the master cars of a train. The shoe H travels along the conductor A, A etc., as in Fig; 1, and is connected with the controller K, which cooperates with the resistance R to regulate the car motors, one only of which is shown for the purpose of illustration. The return circuit may be through the track rails as shown in Fig. 1, the rails being omitted in Fig. 2 for the sake of clear'ness. An auxiliary continuous working conductor B is permanently connected to, or may serve as, the feeder, which is supplied with current from the generator G. A shoe H travels along this auxiliary working conductor, and normally supplies current independently of the shoe H to lamps, the air compressor motor, or other desired translating device on the car or train. A switch W is provided whereby the conductor B may be connected with the controller K when it is desired to operate the car motors from the conductor B; This may be at any time when the current fails in the sectional conductor, but the arrangement is especially adapted to be used when the following train, such as the one shown at the left in Fig. 2, enters upon a section such as A'-, which is maintained disconnected from the feeder by the ad:

by means of the link V in order to record the numberof movements of the switch. As this switch is preferably only used in emergency cases, the said registering apparatus serves as a check on its use.

- Means for automatically setting the brakes when the train reaches a section lield dead by a preceding train, are provided, as follows: A coil 0 carried by the car is connected between the shoe ll and ground forming a movable branch of the power-circuit, and is adapted to operate a link D which controls a valve in an air brake pipe P. Thus when the train enters upon a sec.- tion A which cannot be caused to be energized by the train, while a train is on the section A, current will fail in the coil 0 which normally maintains a valve closed, so that the valve will automatically open and permit the brakes to be set. A suitable retarding device, such as a dash pot D serves to retard the effect of the action of the coil, in order to prevent the valve from opening upon the momentary fluctuations in the current flowing through the coil. ll' electric brakes are used, it is intended that the coil 0 shall be adapted to operate the switch which makes connections to set the brakes. The coil O,.may if it is desired, be connected with the shoe 11 instead of the shoe ii, in the system shown in Fig. 2, in order to avoid the fluctuations of current, but for the specific purpose oi braking a train entering upon a dead section, the coil 0 should be connected to the shoe 11 as shown.

In order to indicate to the operator of the following train the condition of the advance sections and the position hi'an advance train, a system of electrically operated visual signals is provided, which may comprise electric lamps for night work and electrically operated semaphores for daylight. A safety signal WL,

which may be white for example, is located at the be-' ginning of a section such as A, and so connected that it will be continuously operated, during the time that the section next in advance of the section A is dead, and in such condition that it may be caused to be energized by an advancing train. Each safety signal WL is connected in a shunt from the-conductor B or the feeder to ground. The electro-magnetic switches S each carry a switch S, which, when the switches S are in their normal lower position, as shown beneath the section A, close a break in said ground shunt. When the train enters upon a section A, the switch S, shown beneath the section A, is raised and causes the switch S to break the circuit of a signal WL, at the beginning of the section A. The signals in operation under the condition existing as shown in Fig. 2, are indicated by the radial lines. v

Grouped with the signal WL at the beginning of each section such as A, are the signals RL and RLI, which may be red, for example, in color. The operation of the signal RL, which cooperates with the signal WL of the same group to form a danger signal, may be seen in connection with the group beneath the beginning of section A. The signal is shown in parallel with a reistance r'in the circuit from the section A", which for example may be through the coil of the switch S for the section A. When the train enters the section A, the signal RL willbe actuated, and will continue to indicate to'the operator of the following train, that the advance train is on that section, until the advance train leaves the section, The operation of the caution signal RLI will be seen in connection with the group shown at the beginning of the section A. The signal is shown in parallel with the resistance r in a circuit which for example, includes the coil of the switch S for the section A When a train is as shown, upon the section A, the caution signal RLI will be operated to indicate to the operator of the following train that a train is on the section A next in advance of the section A upon which his train is about to enter. In this group the signal BL is inoperative, since the advance train has passed from the section A to the section A,

and the safety white signal WL is inoperative because the train upon the section A has caused the switch S" to move the switch S to break its'circuit.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent oi the United States, is,

1. lo a safety sectional conductor a block electric railway system. the combination with the feeder. of a sectional conduclor the sections of which are of great length with respect to the railway vehicle and are normally disconnected from said feeder, a plurality of switches adapted to close the circuit between the feeder and the section over which the train is passing and to keep the circuit open between the feeder and the section next adjacent to the section over which the train is passing. and a plurality of clccl'romugncts for actuating said switches connected in a circuit between the sections of said sectional conductor and the return.

way system, the combination with the feeder, of :1 normally dead sectional working conductor the sections of which are of great length with respect to the railway vehicles. a branch between each section and the feeder, whiclris broken in two places. and a plurality of.'double-' acting electromagnetic switches each of which normally closes one break in one branch and when actuated opens at that break in that branch and closes a break in a'next adjacent branch.

. :1. In a safety sectional conductor block electric rallway system, the combination with the feeder, of :1 normally dead sectional working conductor the sections of which are of great length with respect to the railway vehiclc, a branch between each section and the feeder, which is broken in two places, a plurality of double acting switches each of which normally closes one break in one branch and when actuated opens at that break'in that branch andcloscs a break in a next adjacent branch, and a plurality of magnet coils each of which is connccted between a sectional conductor and the return and controls one of said switches.

4. In an electric railway system, the combination with the feeder, of a normally dead sectional working conductor, a plurality of electromagnetic switches'adapted to close the circuit between the feeder and .the section over which a train is passing and to keep the circuit open between the feeder and the section behind the section over which the train is passing, an auxiliary continuous service conductor permanently connected with the feeder, and independent collectors engaging said conductors and connectcd to the translating devices carried by the car.

In an electric railway system, the combination with the feeder, of a normally dead sectional working conductor, an auxiliary continuous service conductor per- 1n a safety sectional conductor block electric rail -aux ary conductor and a manently connected with the feeder, independent collectors engaging said conductors and connected to tran lating 1 devices carried by the car. and a plurality of electriim ag ncl'it witches adapted to close the circuit between the section over which a train is passing and to keep the circuit open between the auxiliary conductor and the section behind the section over which the train is pas ing.

(3. in an electric railway system. the combination with the feeder, of a normally dead sectional conductor. switches for connecting said feeder to the sections of said conductor. an auxiliary continuous service conductor permane'ntly connected with the feeder, electrically independent collectors carried by the car for each conductor, a controller connected through one collector with the sec tional conductor. and a switch for connecting the controller with the collector which engages the continuous con ductor.

7. in an electric railway system, the combination with the feeder. oi a normally dead sectional conductor, an auxilia y continuous service conductor permanently connected. with the feeder. electrically independent collectors carried by the car so as to on go the respective conductorspand switches to connect the auxiliary conductor with the ection of the sectional conductor over which the train is passing [or the purpose of supplying current to the said sectional conductor.

S. in an electric railway system, the combination with a source of current supply. of a sectional conductor, an auxiliary continuous conductor connected with the source oi.- current supply to normally supply irausaling devices on the car other than the motors. car motor electrically liltll" pendent collectors carried by the car [or engaging independently the sectional and auxiliary conductors. a conneetion between the car motors and the collector en aging with the sectional conductor. electromagnetic switches for connecting; the sections of the sectional conductor with the source of current supply, and a switch for connecting; the collector engaging the auxiliary conduclor with the car motors so that the latter can be supplied with current from said auxiliary conductor.

J. in an electric arilway system. the combination with a source of current suppl ot' a sectional working conductor: norinally-open switchesfor connecting the sections of said sectional conductor to the source 0tcurrent supply, car motors normally operated by current taken from said sectional conductor, an auxiliary continuous conductor permanently connected with the source of. current supply and normally supplying" trandating dcvic on the car other than the motors. two electrically independent collectin vices carried by the and cooperating with the respective conductors. and a switch for connecting the car motors and the collecting device which cooperates with the auxiliary conductor. whereby the motors can be operated by current from said auxiliary conductor.

10. In an electric railway 'stem. the combination with a source of current supply. of a normally dead sectional working conductor. ear motors normally operated by the current taken from said sectional working conductor, an auxiliary continuous conductor permane'nily connected with the source of current supply and normally supplying translating devices on the car other than the motors. two electrically independent collecting devices carried by the car and coiiperaiing with the respective conductors. a switch for connecting the car motors to the collecting device which cooperates with the auxiliary conductor. where- I by said motors can be operated by current from the auxiliv. v conductor. and a lttilll'tiillg mechinism operated by said switch.

11. in an electric railway system, the combination with a source of current supply, of a normally dead sectional workingconductor. tanuiections between the source of curront supply and the sections of said conductor, electrosection, a permanently energized auxiliary continuous conductor, two electrically indtuiendenl collecting devices on the train coiipcraiing with the respective conductors, and a switch for connecting the car motors with the collector which engages the continuous conductor, whereby the motors can be operated by current from said continuous conductorj 12. in an electric the combination with railway, a

' source of current supply, of an auxiliary continuous conbrakes, a coil controlling said valve. means for retarding the operation of said valve. and a collector onuected with the coil and adapted to engage with the working conductor. whereby the valve is held closed and the brakes released while the conductor is energized.

14. in an electric railw. v sy em, the combination with the working; conductor. of a train operated therefrom, a braking system for the train. means tending normally to operate said braking system to cause the brakes to he applied, electromagnetically-controlled means [or preventing the selling of the brakes except when current fails in the working condurtor, and means for instituting a time limit in the operation of said braking system lo prevent the selling oi the brill the working conductor.

1?. In an eieclrir railway system, the combination with the working conductor. oi a train. air-brakes therefor, 11 valve. means normally tending to operate the valve to applv the brakes. \an clectromag'nel coil connected with [be working conductor for holding the valve closed while the conductor is eneigized. and a dash-pot for instituting a time limit in the aclion of the valve-owning means.

iii. in an electric railway syslem.a car or train, driv incmotors therefor. a source oi current for said drivln motors. a braking" system. eleclricalu operated controlling means for the brakes energized from said sonrte and adapted to apply the brakes upon a deenergizlng of said source. and means for retardingthe application of the brakes.

17. in an electric railway system. a car or llillll. driving motors therefor. a supply circuit for said motors. a brak his system. a magnet winding connected to said supply circuit, means controlled by said magnetadapted to apply the brakes when said magnet is detergized. and means for retarding the application of the brakes.

1.. In an electric railway system. the combination with :1 normally dead sectional conductor having sections of dili'erent lengths, the lengths of said sections beiiu, proportional to the speed at which the train will-commonly proceed over a given section, of electromagnetically-controlled means for causing, a section over which a train is passing to be energized and for preventing the dead section over which it has just passed from being caused to be energized by a following lrain.

ill. in an electric railway system, the combination with a normally dead sectional working conductor. of edectromagneticnlly-iu'tuaied means located at iuie'nals along the road-way. for causing the section of thc iscciionnl conductor over which a train is passing to be energized and for preventing the dead section over which it has just passed from being caused to be energized by a following train. and means controlled by said electronm r netically-actuatcd means for indicating visually to the operator of a train at the beginning oi a section the fact that the condition of the section is normal.

20. in an electric railway system. the combination with a normally dead sectional working conductor, of electr0- m which a train is passing to be energized and for preventing the dead section o'ver which it'has just passed from by fluctuations of the current in netically-controlled means for causing the section over I being caused to be energized by a following train. means for indicating visually at the beginning of such latter section to the operator of the following train the fact that his train is about. to enter the section behind the section over which the advance train is passing. and a branch circuit from the section over which the advance train is passing for controlling said indicating means.

l. in an electric railway system, the combination with a normally dead sectional working conductor. of electro magnetically-controlled means for causing the section over which a train is passing to be energized and for prevent- 'ing the dead section over which it has just passd from being caused to he' energized by a following train, auxil iary means whereby the following train can be propelled over such latter section. means for indicating visually at the beginning of such latter section to the operator of the following. train the fact that his train is about to enter the section over which the advance train has just passed. and a branclrcircuit from the section o\'er which the advance train is passing. for controlling said indicating means.

22. In an electric railway system; the combination with a normally dead sectional working conductor. of electromagnetic switches which are successively actuated as a car or train proceeds, to energize said sections. electrically operated signals connected in circuits which are closed while the conductor sections are dead, and means connected with saidswitches for opening the circuits of said signals when the switches are actuated to energize said sectional conductor.

:23. -i' an electric railway. the combination with a normally dead sectional working conductor. of electromagnetic switches which are successively actuated as a car proceeds, to energize said sections. an electrically operated signal connected in circuit with one of said switches and located at the beginning of a section, the circuit connections of said signal being such that the signal is operated by said switch when the latter is actir ated by the passage of a car. over the next advance section.

2-1. in an electric railway, the combination with :1 normally dead sectional working conductor, of electromagnetic switches which are actuated as a car proceeds, to energize said sections. an electrically operated signal connected in circuit with said switches and located at the beginning of a section, the circuit connections of said signal being such that the signal is operated by said switch when the latter is actuated by the passage of a car on said section.

25. in an electric railway systennthe combination with a normally dead sectional working conductor, of electro magnetic switches the actuating coils of which are.energizcd to actuate said switches as a car proceeds to encrgize said sections. electrically operated visual signalingmeans connected in circuit with one ofsaid switches, the circuit connections being such that the signaling-means is supplied with current by the actuation of said switch by an advance train, so that the presence of such train is indicated to the operator oi a train on a section immediately in the rear of the advance train.

in an electric railway, the combination with 2. normally dead sectional workingconductor. of electromagnetic swilclies the actuating coils of which are energized toactuate the switclies'to cause said sections to be successively energized as a car proceeds, an electrically operated signal for a section connected in a circuit which is normally closed by the switch of said section in the closing position of the switch, and a second electrically operated signal for said sec ion connected in circuit with said section. the circuit of said second signal being'closed when said section is energized, said signals cooperating to indicate to the operator of a following train the presence of a train onthe section to which the signals belon 27. in an electric railway system, the combination with the feeder, of a normally dead sectional working conductor, .an electrically operated safety signal located at the beginning of each section, nection between the feeder and said signal, an electromagnetic switch for connecting the feeder and a conductor section, and means connecting said normally closed switch with the electromagnetic switch whereby the circuit of a switch normally closing a conthe signal is opened when the electromagnetic switch is actuated to energize the conductor section.

28. In an electric railway system, the combination with the feeder, of a normally dead sectional working conductor, electromagnetic switches for connecting the sections with the feeder. electrically operated visual signals, and normally closed-switches therefor controlled by the electromagnetic switches for maintaining the circuit to the signals closed while the electromagnetic switches are in their normal position. I I '29. in an electric railway system, the combination with a normally dead sectional working conductor, of an energizing switch for each section thereof, means for operating the switch of the next rear section to energize a'certain section when the train passes on to said last-mentioned section. an electrically operated satety'signal normally operating at the beginning of the rear section, and a switch for the signal, which is controlled by the energizing switch of the rear section and is opened when we latter is operated by the train.

30. In an electric railway system, the combination with. a normally dead sectional working conductor, of an electromagnetic energizing switch for each section thereof, and electrically operated safety and danger signals controlled by said switch, the safety signal being cut out when the switch is operated and the danger signal being operated while'the coil of the switch is energized.

31. In an electric railway system, the combination with I a normally dead section working conductor, of electromagnetic switches for energizing the sections of said conductor, an electrically operated safety signal for a section, which signal is connected in a circuit normally closed by the switch of said section in its open position with respect to the section. an electrically operated danger signal for said section, which signal is connected in a circuit energized by. said section. and an electrically operated caution signal which is connected in a circuit energized by the next advance section;

32. In an electric railway system, the combination with a current feeder and a series of normally dead sectional conductors. of automatically operated switches for connecting said sectional conductors to the current feeder and for rendering the sectional conductor immediately in the rear of a preceding car temporarily inoperative by the following car. and branch circuits for controlling said switches. said branch circuits being normally without current potential. v I

:3. In an electric railway system, the combination with a current feeder, a series of normally dead sectional conductors and a signal adjacent to each sectional conductor, of automatically operated switches for connecting said sectional conductors to the current feeder and for rendering the sectional conductor immediately in the rear of a preceding car temporarily inoperative by a following car, branch circuits for controlling said switches, said branch circuits being normally without current potential. and means whereby one of said signals lsdisplayed to indicate the presence of a train in an advance section. 4

34. In an electric railway system, the combination with a current feeder and a series or normally dead sectional conductors, of automatically operated switches for connecting said sectional conductors to the current feeder'and switches, said branch circuits being normally without current potential, together with additional means for enabling a car to pass over a section adjacent to a preceding section over which a car is then passing.

35. In a'safety block electric railway systcimthe combination with the feeder, of a'sectional conductor the sections of whichare'ot considerable length with respect to the car or train,- connections between the feeder and said sections, a normally closed electromagnetically actuated switch and a normally-open e1ectromagnetically-actuated switch included in each of said connections. the arrangement of the circuits being such that when the switch for a certain section is actuated to connect that section to the feeder a feeder connection of another section is opened.

36. A safetyblock electric railway system comprising tion.

main. of a sectional conare of considerable length so constructed and arranged that during the time it closes the feeder connection to its tion it opens the feeder thus renders impossible corresponding conductor secthe closing of said feeder connec- 37. In a system for controlling the movements of elec trically operated railway vehicles, the combination with the power circuit, of 'automatic means for stopping the vehicle, and a pair of track-circuitsone controlling a signal and governed by the power,circuit and the other controlling the automatic stopping ineans and controlled by said first track circuit.

35. In :1 system for controlling the movements of electrically operated railway vehicles, the combination with the power circuit, of automatic means for stopping the connection to another section and vehicle energized by cnrrent dcrivcd from the power circuit. and a pair of blockcircuits for (lilferont blocks one block circuit being governed by the power circuit nnd controlling a signal and the other controlling the automatic stopping means and being cuit.

.lEL-ln a system for controlling the movements of electrically operated railway vehicles, the combination with the power circuit. of automatic means for stopping the vehicle. and a pair of block circuits for (lillerent blocks, each forming a branch of the power circuit and one controlling a signal and the other controlling the automatic stopping means and being controlled by the first block ('ll'c llil.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 27th day of March. 1900.

WILLIAM ll. POTTER. Witnesses:

Ill-:NJAMIX IL 11mm, ALI-1x l". )liurnoxtum.

controlled by the first block fill 

